


Touch

by kiyala



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Confessions, Ear Scratches, First Kiss, M/M, Tactile Kyoutani, Touching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-07
Updated: 2016-03-07
Packaged: 2018-05-25 07:39:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6186211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiyala/pseuds/kiyala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kyoutani is a tactile person once he's decided that he's friends with someone. Yahaba quickly gets used to it, because Kyoutani touches him a lot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Touch

There are several things that Yahaba learns in his third year of high school and he supposes that's to be expected, when they're being prepared for the real world beyond graduation, and when he's the captain of the volleyball team and needs to step up to the responsibility that the role brings with it.

He learns a lot about himself, about his teammates, about his friends. The one thing he doesn't expect to learn is the fact that Kyoutani, once he's decided that he's friends with someone, is incredibly tactile with them. Perhaps it's only a surprise because Yahaba's never really seen him with friends before and never knew to anticipate it. The first casual bump of their shoulders throws Yahaba off-balance, but he quickly learns to get used to the weight of Kyoutani's hand on his shoulder, or the warmth of it on his back.

Yahaba's not the only one that it happens to. Kyoutani exchanges fist bumps with Watari, claps the second years on the back for a job well done, and sometimes even holds his hand out for a low five with the first years. It's nice to see Kyoutani finally settling into the team, Yahaba thinks. It's satisfying as a captain, but even more so as Kyoutani's friend.

This is why, when they're sitting together at lunch and having a light argument just for the sake of arguing, Yahaba doesn't even think twice before he reaches out towards Kyoutani. He runs his fingers along one of the shaved lines of Kyoutani's hair, around to just behind his ear, scratching lightly. 

Kyoutani immediately falls silent, but just as Yahaba pulls his hand away, Kyoutani leans into the touch with a sigh. 

"Ear scratches," Yahaba mutters, rolling his eyes with a touch of fondness. "What are you, a dog?"

"You started it," Kyoutani grumbles. "Just shut up and pat me."

Snorting quietly, Yahaba shuffles so that he's sitting a little closer to Kyoutani, bringing both hands up to scratch behind his ears.

"This is the best," Kyoutani murmurs, tilting his head back to give Yahaba easier access.

Yahaba finds that he has to agree. It's nice having Kyoutani this relaxed, and especially nice that he's been distracted from the argument he was winning. 

He doesn't really mean for it to become a regular thing, but it _is_ the quickest way to shut Kyoutani up and Yahaba enjoys the way Kyoutani will fall silent mid-sentence and press back against his fingers. He likes the soft sighs Kyoutani lets out, the way his eyelids droop with contentment. Yahaba especially likes it when Kyoutani takes his hand and guides it up himself. 

The team doesn't even think anything of it any more. They all ruffle Kyoutani's hair or pat his back after a good spike, but Yahaba's the only one who scratches behind his ears. He saves it for when they're off the court, when he can take his time with it.

 

They're on the bus home from an entire afternoon of practice matches with Karasuno and the team is completely exhausted, slumped in their seats and half-asleep now that they have some downtime. Kyoutani is sitting next to Yahaba, leaning against his shoulder and trying not to fall asleep. With a small smile, Yahaba reaches up, scratching his fingers through Kyoutani's hair and behind an ear. Kyoutani hums softly, the remaining tension leaving his body, and Yahaba finds himself smiling even wider.

"Here," he murmurs, sitting up properly and patting his lap. He doesn't expect Kyoutani to agree as eagerly as he does, putting his head down immediately, but it's nice. "You played really well today."

"Yeah," Kyoutani replies tiredly. "You too, Captain."

Yahaba is glad that Kyoutani can't see the way the words make him beam. He turns to look out the window so nobody else can see either, continuing to idly scratch behind Kyoutani's ear. His fingers wander, tracing over the shaved dips in Kyoutani's hair and trailing over the back of his neck. He realises that Kyoutani isn't the only one who finds this relaxing; it's calming for him too and more than that, he likes being responsible for making Kyoutani feel this good.

He blinks with surprise at the passing scenery as it occurs to him that he has a crush on Kyoutani. He sighs, looking down at Kyoutani's head in his lap, but the more he thinks about it, the more it makes sense. It explains why his thoughts wander to Kyoutani as often as they do. It explains why he enjoys their easy contact as much as he does.

It also makes him feel a little guilty. Kyoutani's just a tactile person by nature around the people he's comfortable with. Yahaba doesn't want to be taking advantage of that, but he doesn't want to stop touching him either, and doubts that he _can_ without Kyoutani noticing. 

He listens to Kyoutani's deep, even breaths as he falls asleep, and leans his head back against the bus seat. He'll have to figure this out sooner rather than later, preferably without Kyoutani finding out about the crush.

It's hard to ignore the guilt, and even harder to ignore his crush. Every time Kyoutani leans into his side, or rests a hand on his back, there's a flurry of butterflies in Yahaba's stomach and he wants to lean back into the touch, but he stops himself every time. It's one thing to let Kyoutani touch him, or to touch Kyoutani when he wants it. Encouraging the contact, or prolonging it, is an entirely selfish thing to do on his part, when he knows he has different motives. 

He's certain that he's being subtle about it, because it's not like he's brushing Kyoutani off. He's taking care not to act any different to how he was before, but it doesn't seem to be working the way he hopes, judging by the way Kyoutani stops him once they're done with practice one afternoon, holding him back by the arm.

"Are you pissed at me?" he asks, once everyone else has walked off, leaving them alone.

"Of course not," Yahaba replies. "You'd know if I was."

"Then what's going on?" Kyoutani frowns. "And don't tell me it's _nothing_ , because I know that's a lie."

Yahaba sighs, looking away. "Don't do this, Kyoutani."

"I'm not doing anything! Or if I am, I don't know what it is. You look like you can barely stand being around me like you want to run. It's like you're just tolerating me, and I thought we were friends. I thought that means talking abut things when something's wrong. If I screwed up—"

"You haven't screwed up," Yahaba interrupts, so sharply that Kyoutani flinches. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Yahaba takes a deep breath. "If you make me say this, then I'm going to be the one screwing this up, okay?"

"We can figure it out," Kyoutani tells him, reaching out for the hand still held by Yahaba's side. "Watari keeps telling both of us that bottling things up isn't going to get us anywhere, right? It's not going to be as bad as you think. Promise."

Yahaba laughs hollowly. "You can't promise something like that."

Kyoutani looks directly into his eyes, open and honest. "Well, try me. Trust me, okay? The way you do on the court."

"Kyoutani, you _can't_ —" Yahaba falls silent as he feels Kyoutani's grip tighten around his hand. Taking another deep breath, he holds Kyoutani's gaze. "I like you, okay?"

"You—" Kyoutani blinks. "Really?"

"No, I changed my mind all of a sudden," Yahaba says dryly. 

"I like you too," Kyoutani tells him, so bluntly that Yahaba almost envies him for it. "Didn't you know? I thought I was being obvious." 

"Obvious?" Yahaba asks. " _How_?"

"I touch you a lot, don't I?" Kyoutani mumbles, his cheeks going pink. 

"You touch everyone."

"Yeah, but I touch you a _lot_." Kyoutani squeezes Yahaba's hand to emphasise his point. Yahaba forgot that they were still holding hands, but that's because their contact has become an everyday thing, because it happens so often—

"Oh," Yahaba breathes, as it clicks. 

"I like it when your fingers scratch in my hair," Kyoutani murmurs, guiding Yahaba's hands up to do exactly that. "I like it when you're close to me." 

They step closer to each other, until their foreheads are pressed together. Yahaba feels the bristle of Kyoutani's hair against his fingertips, then brings his fingers down to scratch behind Kyoutani's ears, trailing further down to rest against his jaw. 

"I like you," Kyoutani repeats, softer this time, more breath than voice to his words, warm against Yahaba's lips. 

In reply, Yahaba guides him closer, into a gentle kiss. Their lips are soft against each other and then pull apart just so they can adjust their angle, leaning in to kiss a little harder. 

"I like you too," Yahaba murmurs, thumb stroking over the curve of Kyoutani's smile. "I like you a lot." 

This time as they kiss, Yahaba drags his fingers over Kyoutani's hair, pleased and surprised at the soft moan that it earns him. He's looking forward to exploring that a little more. He knows that they're going to learn a lot more about each other, and Yahaba is looking forward to all of it.


End file.
